More than 500 bicycle enthusiasts took to the roads of South Siskiyou County on Sunday for the annual Mount Shasta Summit Century ride.

You know that a bike event is quite the challenge when the easiest ride is a little more than 30-miles, with 2,100 feet of climbing.

The toughest of the rides offered is the Super Century, which is a 139-mile endurance test that features 16,500 feet of climbing, including going up Mount Shasta, with riders departing bright and early at 5:30 in the morning for the Super Century. The event also featured a 100-mile Summit Century with 10,500 feet of climbing, the 58-mile Metric Century with 4,200 feet of climbing, and the 30-mile Half Metric.

For seven years, Mike Read of Mount Shasta has taken part in the 139-mile ride.

When asked how long getting prepared for an event like this takes, Read chuckled and replied, "Your whole life."

"It's just a challenge," he added. "It's one of the hardest rides you can do."

As Read took a breather at a designated resting spot at Bel Air Park in Weed, he said that he loves the fact that so many bike riders from out of the area take part each year. It certainty helps bring more people to the county to enjoy the beauty and amazing bike rides Siskiyou County offers, Read said.

At the start of the 58-mile ride at Mount Shasta City Park, members of a family reunion were ready to take off.

Camilo Vilasera of Berkeley explained that each year there is a large family reunion at Lake Siskiyou. A few years ago, several family members decided that since the ride was the same time as the reunion that taking part would be another way to bond, have fun, enjoy the beauty of the area and "get some exercise" as a family.

A few minutes later the group was on its way as it merged onto the roadway for the long, but beautiful journey ahead.

Laurel Harkness is one of the six main volunteers that help put the event together. She said that riders do not compete against each other, but strive to finish the ride, or to push themselves further than they have before and taking a sense of pride in knowing what they have accomplished.

"It's very much a personal challenge," she said. "It's one of the most challenging rides in the west."

And, she added, "It's just a beautiful ride," with folks raving over the gorgeous mountains, trees and other scenery they get to experience on their journey. It also helps that the roads in Siskiyou County are not as bustling for riders, so they don't have to worry about as many vehicles as they make their way around the county. Participants come from all over to compete, Harkness said, including one person who flew from Rhode Island just to take part in the Summit Century. About $20,000 raised from the ride goes back into the community. The money goes to a number of local groups, mainly those involving youth, middle school and high school sports. Money has been donated to groups such as the cross country team at Mount Shasta High School.

Page 2 of 2 - The funds also go toward long-term bike infrastructure projects in the county. One use of the funds has been the installation of "Share the Road" signs that are now along the century route.

It's vitally important to help any way they can and help fund youth sports locally that would likely not continue without funding like this, Harkness said.